Following North America’s discovery in 1492, four European nations laid claim to various parts of the continent: Great Britain, France and Spain competed for modern-day Canada, America, and Mexico, while Russia claimed the Pacific Northwest. Out of this development, 3 new nations were born over the course 5 centuries, which the animated GIF above explores. Interestingly enough, the modern borders of North America were only finalized in 1949, when the Dominion of Newfoundland was transferred as a British colony to control of Canada.